Flats
by pammazola
Summary: SnK universe, 3 parts. A small twist of fate lands Levi and Petra on a date in Sina, and things just get weird from there. Rivetra-shipping, Rated T for language and a Jealous!Levi.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Shingeki no Kyojin.**

**Rated T for some Levi language! Please enjoy and review if you feel like it today!**

**~oOo~**

_**Flats**_

**~oOo~**

To hell with it all.

It's not as if everyone isn't already aware of the fact he absolutely _loathes_ parties. Of any sort.

This season, the Survey Corps takes refuge within the wall surrounding Sina, Levi's least favorite place in the world despite having prowled about these same streets for most of his life. Occasionally a tremor still shakes its way down his spine when the familiar face of an aristocrat crosses his path. A part of him still believes he is a pawn of the Underworld; that every guest is too close, too curious, and his hand instinctively twitches toward that secret place on his person where a sharp weapon used to be concealed.

There is no need for that now. On his left, Erwin Smith walks with calm, measured steps, eyes cast far ahead as he studies the other occupants of the spacious courtyard. He is not as rigid as Levi, but always cautious. Very unlike Hanji, who has drifted away from their group to find more exciting, interesting people to share her passion for Titans with. Levi thinks she is not particularly successful. Every time she draws close, fueled by enthusiasm, the men tend to clasp to their wives more firmly, as if Hanji were some monster of her own sort (and really, they aren't that far off the mark). She does not seem to notice their forced smiles.

Everyone is clean, at least. It is a refreshing change to see fellow soldiers dressed in something other than their usual soiled, faded military uniforms. Levi does not mind wearing a suit, even half-wishes the profession called for it more often, minus the dreadful socializing part. He agrees that it would be utterly ridiculous to be fighting Titans in such refine clothing, so he does not protest.

Several individuals have approached him throughout the evening ("Is that Levi-heichou?" "He's a bit shorter than I was expecting…" "Oh, I want him to marry me!" "Worth an entire brigade… I _must_ shake his hand!"), and they would introduce themselves in various fashions, each with the same inclination to lure him into a pleasant chat. Despite being a celebrated 'hero', in all honesty, Levi does not really know what they want him to say, and never gave half a fuck enough to live up to the expectations. These situations are no less uncomfortable for him. As a last resort he chooses to heed Erwin's (shitty) advice to be as honest and straightforward as possible. He dutifully informs the wealthiest of merchants that he believes their unfair trade is robbing nourishment from the disadvantaged refugees of Wall Maria… that the highly sought after and desired daughter of the Military Police commander has lips like a carp… oh, and as for the beverages, they are all horrendous, and he much prefers coffee.

People often back away slowly, practically flocking over to where Hanji stands in a zone that has drastically less unwelcoming vibes.

~oOo~

Contrary to popular belief, Levi is not alone.

The king's celebratory ball is an invitation extended to a select few deemed the most worthy, contributing members of society; a gathering of the men and women who work together to keep the walls standing and His Majesty on the throne. Some call it the 'Midnight Tea Party,' and requested attendance is an honor which cannot be refused.

They are asked to bring one date.

Simple enough. That very morning of the party, Levi approached Hanji on the subject as the breakfast platters were being passed around. Usually the tall, spectacled woman is the back-up plan when it is too much of an inconvenience to call on Erwin who, of course, had already received a similar invitation and made arrangements for a date of his own (opposite sex couples are preferred, but Levi has never felt particularly amorous to either gender, so fuck the rules). The rest of the table's inhabitants fell silent as their captain was blunt in his speech to a piece of toast, describing the requirements, not actually phrasing the words into some resemblance of a question. He accepted her lack of a forthcoming answer as an affirmation, impassively returning to his meal.

After a few moments: "Er… hey, Levi." The sound of her voice was a pitch higher than normal, very un-Hanji-like, and enough to clue him in to the fact that this was not going to be a typical pestering she gives him on a daily basis. "…Uh… I'm… gonna have to say no. Mike got the letter and… he asked me to go with him… _three weeks ago…_" Suddenly the scientist went off on a tangent, wondering aloud why she was the only one of the Elite who hadn't gotten an invitation, completely oblivious to the stupefied expression on Levi's face as it slowly dawned on him that _shit_ he was going to have to formally ask someone last minute and was _totally_ unprepared for it.

He blinked, calmly surveying the faces of his squad, the only reliable people that he could find in the immediate vicinity who were currently available. His grey gaze clashed with Petra's.

Not recognizing his state of distress, the copper-haired woman stared back at her captain with the same wide, innocent hazel eyes. When he did not look away as soon as she was expecting him to, the awkward atmosphere prompted her to give him a shy little wave of her fingers.

Some unfathomable force lifted his hand in reply. A small part of him briefly considered returning her brilliant smile, but then remembered who he was and quickly put the betraying hand down. The rest of their company had gradually started up the casual conversation once more, leaving Levi with the golden opportunity to slip out of his seat to move to stand directly behind the young woman's chair, unintentionally startling her in his haste.

"Heichou," Petra said warmly, after shaking off the initial shock of finding him breathing (quite erratically, she noted) down her neck. "Do you need me to make more coffee?"

Well. Obviously the wench wasn't going to make things any easier for him. What a bother.

The following speech came out rather rushed: "What I need is for you to accompany me to Sina. It is crucial that the Legion keep up appearances on this occasion and my resources per tell that the dispatching of an additional person is necessary for the ensured success of this mission. Careful calculations consider it chiefly beneficial that the qualities which make up the content of your disposition are compatible with my own, enabling the two of us to prove to be an efficient team in response to the demands of the situation at hand. It would be in your best interest – and that of the Legion, which should be more important than your own, but that is beside the point – and I speak sincerely to you as your superior that I want you to represent our sector of the military and-"

A sly smile tugged at the edges of Petra's mouth in a manner he had never seen from a subordinate before and she effectively silenced him by pressing a single finger to his lips.

"Yes, Heichou, I'd be _honored_."

Oddly, even after a couple hours, no matter how hard he tried to remain focused on all the paperwork in front of him, he could still feel the tingling sensation of her touch.

~oOo~

Levi likes Petra well enough. He isn't lying when he says he thinks they would make a well-suited pair. The plan is to use her sunny personality and charm as a shield for his crappy, near anti-social discourtesy and make it out of the party without adding to the already immense headaches that plague Erwin because of the shit that the shortest member of the Legion puts him through. Erwin is too sympathetic of a man to ever say it to him so blatantly, but that's just another factor that has led Levi to hate the commander of the Survey Corps a little less than he would the rest of the general population.

The members of his squad are also the exception. Petra is a fine looking woman, he acknowledges. She is slender, but nicely toned from her military training and still maintains flattering curves. Likewise, Levi is athletically lean and muscular from years of operating the 3DMG. Physically they would make an attractive couple, which would hopefully win over the approval of the higher ups before they can actually speak to them.

Petra, being put into a bit of a fix due to the lack of adequate prepping time, resorts to wearing the only dress she carries with her during her time in the military for special occasions (something of this magnitude never being in mind, but she wore it on Levi's birthday a few months back, and that is the only time he can remember looking at her clothes, specifically). It is sleeveless, plain black that just touches her knees. For Sina, it is several months out of style, but that does not seem to be of any consequence.

Levi's left temple begins to throb in agitation.

Naturally he should feel like this. Petra is a valuable companion that has fought valiantly at his side, ever loyal and dutiful through all the blood and sweat and near death experiences. Few may ever obtain the position she holds in his universe, where he believes she deserves respect extended back to her regardless of their rank. That is just how he has always led the members of his squad. So, _naturally_, he should feel a degree of protectiveness, to give in to the need to scan the area for potential threats and throw himself on top of her should all hell break lose. That is what comrades are for.

Still, it is exceedingly frustrating to be unable to spend just two minutes fetching his date a glass of water, only to return and find her like a cornered doe in the company of ravenous wolves.

Levi clicks his tongue in annoyance as he ruthlessly elbows one man in the face. He steps over the withering body, careful to avoid the pooling puddle of blood. The bystanders wisely split their group in half to accommodate him.

"You shouldn't have done that," Petra warns, unsmiling, accepting the glass he hands her with nimble fingers. She takes a small sip. "We've had this discussion before, Heichou. Use your _words_."

Levi mimics the motion with dispassion. "Fuck you. And if you have any friends, you can fuck them, too." He arches an inquisitive eyebrow at her. "Would that have sufficed?" The candlelight flickers off of her jewelry, a ruby necklace and earrings to match, contrasting with her lighter, creamy skin, and this captures his attention for a moment longer than usual before he realizes his throat is parched and he drains the rest of the glass of water. Damn dehydration.

Petra is not pleased. And also is quite oblivious when it comes to men.

"Maybe I shouldn't have agreed to this…"

"Maybe you shouldn't have," he concurs, leaning against a nearby marble pillar and looking at her with lazy, lidded grey eyes. "I would reject myself if it were at all possible."

"That makes absolutely no sense." But Petra giggles and it is a sound that is not unpleasant. She turns from him and looks out onto the rest of the party wistfully, where the other couples are dancing, and she thinks it looks very romantic. Levi does not move to touch her - hasn't all evening - and it makes him a bit skittish. He hates himself because she is doing this enormous favor for him and he cannot make her happy. Debts are not something he carries with him lightly.

Petra edges in closer to his side, and now they are both holding up the pillar in case of some unforeseen disaster with the architecture. Her lips are red, Levi notices, like the rubies.

"I think you're just a little shy."

The captain gives her a blank look.

"No one tries to talk to Heichou like a normal person," she says in his defense. "I would be intimidated by all the attention, that's for sure."

Maybe she is right, so he lets her believe that. He steers the conversation away from an analysis of his person. "You can just call me Levi. I think we have known each other long enough to be on a first name basis, _Petra_." He tries it out for the first time.

Her grin returns anew. "Alright, but forgive me if I slip up just from habit. I like to say _Levi-heichou_. It sounds very alluring, hm?" She is a bit closer, tracing patterns on the marble with light fingers.

He tilts his head slightly, considering her words, a bit of his ego having blossomed. "Well, when you say it in a breathy, sultry tone like that of course it's sexy." They share a long moment of silence. "Call me whatever you want." He fiddles around with his empty glass because he doesn't know what else to do.

Then he notices something peculiar, as he is glancing around the courtyard. Something that was not immediate to him earlier in the evening. That is, not until he stood so close to Petra.

All the women are wearing heels.

They are several inches tall and obviously a burden to walk in because their dainty ankles are trembling. Many have to grasp tightly onto the arm offered to them by their date just to keep from toppling over, and honestly it is comical watching them attempt to flutter around in their poorly concealed discomfort. Petra does not have this problem. Instead, she has on a pair of sandals that Levi has never seen before. They are flats. Not distasteful, though not exactly befitting of the situation at hand. She might have worn something fancier if she were not pressed for time.

Or maybe… she chose them for just the reason that she is going to be with him tonight? Levi notes that the height difference is ideal, given his relatively short stature; heels would have made it resoundingly more difficult for him to look down into her eyes right now.

Preferring the latter option, he thinks it is very courteous of her.

Not knowing where his train of thought is, Petra quirks a shapely eyebrow, studying his vacant expression. "Sometimes I wonder why I'm head over heels for…" The sentence hangs as she blushes deeply, and Levi has no clue where all this is coming from and he is slightly bewildered.

"…What?" he presses, unsure of how to react to her declaration that really isn't anything at all because she refuses to fucking finish it. Women are so confusing. This is exactly why Erwin is his go-to person.

Petra shakes her head like the exasperating little female that she is. "I've learned a lot about you just in one evening, Levi. It's… insightful."

"Oh?" His eyes light up momentarily, almost playfully. "And what exactly do you think you know about me? Go on."

He need not say more. Petra ticks off a finger as she reviews each item on her list:

"You are rude."

"Blame my mother."

"You react a bit violently to other people."

"Soldier's defensive instincts."

"You hate being short."

"I convene all biological blunders to some cruel twist of fate."

"You're an asshole."

"Okay, shut up now." Levi touches Petra's lips, hushing her in the same manner she did him just that morning. Her face becomes red again, but she grabs hold of his hand before he can pull it away.

"I wouldn't want to be here with anyone else."

Levi blinks, not understanding why she isn't looking at him anymore. She has always fearlessly held his stony gaze; she is one of the few who can. A sensation in his gut tells him he's supposed to do something now because their heights are perfect and her lips feel soft beneath his fingertips. Levi narrows his eyes, frustrated with himself and the distress he is putting Petra through. He tries to think of consoling words:

"That's an odd thing to say."

~oOo~


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Shingeki no Kyojin.

Originally I was just going to leave this as a one shot, but my muse urged it to keep this going! Please enjoy!

~oOo~

Weekends for the Legion are long and dull. Believe it or not, after awhile the constant threat of being eaten tends to lose its glamour. There isn't a moment for the soldiers to keep to themselves, even if Levi secretly relishes the seemingly never-ending stretch of clear blue sky ( sometimes wishing that he could really fly), the captain still wakes up the same as any other morning with a dead scowl that chases all the joy and cheerfulness out of everyone he encounters. Weekends are not for relaxation. There are Titans to slay, field reports to write, kitchen floors that absolutely must be scrubbed… These are the days reserved to make up for all the shit procrastinated throughout the week. That's just how things have always been.

"So Levi, did you know we get vacation time?"

The short raven-haired man grasps his pen tightly, feeling irritable and trying not to show it in front of Erwin. He is currently in the process of writing a list of critiques to Dita Ness, the head of the recruits' training squad. The newbies' first excursion beyond the walls was relatively successful, but many of them were not comfortable handling their horses, but they better get used to them, if they want to survive.

Pulling up a stool, Erwin settles alongside his second-in-command officer, studying his sour expression with an air of light amusement. The vigor in which Levi works is admirable, especially when he's pissed. Lord knows, he can go on a blood rage against that formidable stack of paperwork like it's an eight meter class. Recently, that has been the case. Not that it's news to anyone, but Levi's patience is vastly thin. Any form of a disruption earns a glare so severe in its sincere animosity that the perpetrator's heart actually convulses with the mental agony of being stabbed by icicles. Bottom line, the captain is a very grouchy person when he is interrupted. Erwin, the only one who can get away with lingering over his shoulder (permitted only because of his rank) sits in a respectful silence, blue eyes tracing the path of Levi's quill. He is cool and collected in his waiting.

"Ah," the shorter man murmurs, hoping to express enough disinterest for Erwin to drop the issue and leave him in peace. His lower back is beginning to painfully protest against the long hours that he has been sitting at his desk. Erwin picks up on this, so he continues, maintaining a friendly tone.

"I appreciate your dedication, Levi. You deserve a break."

"Don't need it." He scribbles his signature at the bottom of his letter and proceeds to carefully fold the parchment into three neat, even increments. His brow furrows in concentration. The commander is leaning his elbows on the desktop. Levi has to resist the impulse to swat them away and turns to open a drawer, withdrawing a fresh envelope.

"You can stay with my family," he offers.

Levi pauses. The image of two similarly blond-haired boys with missing front teeth, runny noses and scabbed knees suddenly comes to mind. A chill races down his spine.

"I'll pass."

Erwin does not seem offended. "Don't make me order you to take leave. You're not a machine."

"I know that." Levi seals the envelope and tosses it into the basket labeled for pick-up. "I have work."

"That can wait."

He sighs, casting a sidelong, tired look around the room for a few moments before finally turning back to face him fully. "Why are you so damn interested in how I spend my time?" Seriously. Nosy bosses. No.

Erwin shrugs offhandedly. "'Spending time' can be defined as doing something constructive for your person, and all I can see is you deteriorating in here and that's no good for the Survey Corps. I feel like it's partially my responsibility to stop that."

It is the fact that the commander is starting to sound more and more like a nagging parent is what is becoming rather irksome. Levi reigns back on the urge to begin his next sentence with 'Well, Mommy, cradle me in your lap…' Instead: "How can you be so certain I don't already have plans for later?"

What he expects in reply is not the uncharacteristically loud snort Erwin makes, and it causes his eyes to widen fractionally. "Oh, what exactly do you have in mind? Don't tell me you've become attached to the Horseshoe Club, Levi. I happened to hear you have a pretty good arm on you." He smirks quietly in satisfaction when he catches a muscle in the other man's jaw twitching.

"I have no commitments to that…" Or anything else, to be honest. Levi tries to think back to the last time he requested time off from work, which is not hard because the answer is never with the exception of the king's ball in Sina, and that was nearly a month ago. The experience was not entirely terrible, but ever since then Levi sometimes feels a heated frustration that has nothing to do with late paperwork or dirty windows and for the life of him he cannot figure out why it is keeping him up late at night drenched in sweat and looking for something that is not there.

Just in case, he re-checks every windowpane. That is how the squad usually finds him now in the mornings, hanging from the ceiling with his 3DMG, scrubbing away for umpteenth time in an effort to ease the stress.

Levi tears himself away from these useless thoughts because Erwin is speaking and he should at least pretend to be listening.

"A friend of mine from the Karanese District is in need of a bit of help around his property. Manual labor, since he's getting old. He would prefer someone who is good with his hands and has a keen eye. I mentioned you to him."

At this, Levi's mouth thins into a straight line.

"He'll negotiate pay and provide lounging and meals. Feel free to decline, but I think that this change of setting for two or three days would do you some good." The raven-haired man's icy silence must have an effect on Erwin's confidence because he taps his knee timidly for several seconds before reaching into his back pocket for a crudely folded sheet of parchment. "Take a look at his requirements. You might like what the work entails."

Levi shifts his blank stare between it and Erwin's face. Then, as if he were extending a great amount of effort, slightly leans forward and skims the first couple lines. Nothing seems particularly striking until he catches one word. On its own accord, his hand shoots out and snatches the parchment from him, blinking a bit sporadically in disbelief. Suddenly his conscious and dignified respect for a superior officer extinguishes.

"Erwin, you dumbass, this is asking for a cleaning lady."

The blond nods, seemingly unfazed, "Yes, and I took the initiative to inform him that you were male."

Levi's left temple begins to throb violently again. "Well, fuck. Don't do me any favors, now," he snaps sarcastically, crushing the paper in his fist, and the other man visibly flinches. At least he is taking his rage out on an inanimate object rather than his skull. "What makes you think I'd want to clean some old bastard's house? Who the hell do you think I am?"

Erwin has composed himself once more, squaring his shoulders as he cautiously attempts to smooth over his friend's anger. "I assure you that I was only trying to help. Frankly, in all the years I've known you, I have not the faintest idea of what kind of things you like to do, besides working and cleaning, so I opted for the later. Ulrich Ral is a retired veteran of the Survey Corps, and the leader of my old trainee squad. You just need to give him a chance…"

"I don't care if it's the God damn king who wants me to sprinkle pixie dust around his castle." Levi pinches the bridge of his nose, recognizing the makings of a migraine. Oh, yes, this is exactly what he needs. Not that he ever cared when people whisper and gossip about him, but hell to think he looks as pathetic as this… that his boss feels the need to loan him out on a job as an excuse to reintroduce him into society is just damn right humiliating.

"Think it over," Erwin says, standing. He considers clasping him on the shoulder in assurance before he leaves but, noting that there is a dark, lifeless tinge in his narrow grey eyes, decides against it. "I'll have Petra fetch you some coffee." The commander gives him a small nod that is not acknowledged because Levi is nursing his throbbing head by massaging his temples. In all honesty, he is far more frustrated with the fact that someone felt the need to express this kind of concern for him. Never mind that the cleaning part of the deal is actually rather attractive, but still…

Then Levi looks astonishingly to the paper in his fist, hastily unfolds it, and he realizes that the message inside is written in a familiar curly, girlish handwriting. "Ulrich… Ulrich Ral…" I'll have Petra fetch you some coffee, he said. "Erwin, you piece of shit."

~oOo~

Part 3 will include a confession of undying love for Petra from a secret admirer (take a guess who), and also a disturbing amount of dust, muddy boots, a dog, firewood, and an awkward situation which involves walking in on two people in bed.

A timeline and some headcanons, if anyone is interested:

- This story takes place in 847. I believe Erwin would accept the position of commander and appoint Levi as his second-in-command at this time.

- Petra joined the Survey Corps when she was 18 directly after the breach in Wall Maria, so she is currently 20, and on the 57th expedition she is 23. I decided to make Levi 28, meaning he is roughly 31 by the end of the anime (I am not considering SnK: Gaiden in this timeline since there are only 2 chapters)

- Both Petra's parents were soldiers and her father is a widow.

-Petra developed a crush on Levi even before she was selected to join his team (not the Special Ops Squad).

- Levi never noticed. lol.

- He probably had a lover or two when he was in the Underground District, but they were very fleeting and most likely used as tools to obtain things of materialistic value and/or information

-Levi does indeed play horseshoes. And he is excellent.

-Cleaning is his coping mechanism for sexual frustration. hahahaha

Thank you thank you thank you thank you to the reviewers and my favoriters and followers. It means a lot to me that you took the time to read this!


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